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March 05, 2008
In Pastor's Words
Jesus Paid It All
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
It is not possible to talk too much about the cross! Everything we are as a Christian goes back to the cross. When we speak of unity in the Spirit, giftedness for service, forgiveness of sin, hope of eternal life, all of it and much more takes us back to the cross where Jesus made it possible by His substitutionary death for us.
But not everyone embraces the cross or appreciates it. To many it is an offense and a symbol of defeat and shame. While several examples could be mentioned, one recent incident occurred this past Christmas when the presidential candidates were airing holiday greetings across America. In Governor Mike Huckabee’s ad, a white bookshelf in the background suggested a cross and caused not a small negative reaction in the media. Yet, despite suspicion, derision and rejection by the world, “to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The cross has the power to forgive our sins completely, erasing the debt and giving us the hope of heaven. The word “forgive” actually means “to send away” and makes God’s forgiveness of us so much more vivid. The essence of God “sending away” our sins is illustrated in Psalm 103:12 where the Psalmist says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
But the preaching of the cross also has the power to remove the blinders from the eyes of unbelievers. While Satan seeks to spiritually blind those whose eyes are darkened to the Gospel (1 Cor. 4:2), the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, which includes the cross, enables the Holy Spirit to reach the human heart. Paul asks, “how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them” (Romans 10:14)? God uses our faithfulness in witness to open darkened eyes and convict hardened hearts to God’s truth which will lead them to salvation and hope.
For the payment of our sins, Jesus gave all. Josh McDowell tells the story of a young woman who was picked up for speeding. After being ticketed, she was taken to the judge. The judge read off the citation and said, “Guilty or not guilty?” The young woman replied, “I’m guilty.” The judge brought down the gavel and fined her $100. Then something amazing happened. The judge stood up, took off his official robe, walked down to the front, reached into his pocket and paid the fine himself. You see, the judge was the young woman’s father. He loved his daughter, yet he also had to maintain the integrity of his position. His daughter had broken the law, so he couldn’t just excuse her. If he had done that, he wouldn’t have been a righteous judge. But the point is he loved his daughter so much, he took off his official robe, stepped down, and paid the fine. Jesus stepped down from His royal position in heaven, paid the fine for our sins so that we would not only have His fellowship and guidance in this life, but have the hope of eternal life.
Pastor Ralph Partelow
Posted by Jennifer Herrmann at March 5, 2008 10:39 AM